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9 - 15 Mar - Learn With Joy and Not With Sorrow - Jacob 1 - 4

Jacob 1 - That We Might Persuade Them to Come Unto Christ I'm taking an online economics class right now, which prompted me to think of the definition of economics in the context of the scriptures. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. In the case of Nephi and his successor Jacob, the plates upon which they engraved their record was a scarce resource. They were costly to make and difficult to engrave, and instilling a tradition of passing them through generations was surely cumbersome.  Recognizing the great importance of spiritual things and the challenge of maintaining records, Nephi instructed Jacob to prioritize religious instruction saying, " if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people" (Jacob 1:4).   This priority was not only reflecte...
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Moroni 10 - And Ponder It in Your Hearts

Moroni’s famous invitation to those who read the Book of Mormon states: “Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things ... that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts” (Moroni 10:3). As a missionary I would frequently share this verse with those who were exploring the church and preparing for baptism. I would invite them to read the Book of Mormon, think about its contents, and pray to know if it was true. But really this verse is not inviting those who read it to ponder on the message and content of the Book of Mormon. It is encouraging all who read it to ponder on the mercy of Christ. The only way to understand the Book of Mormon and to come to know it is true is to comprehend it in its context. It is simply one more example of God’s tireless efforts to reach out to all of His children around the globe and across time. It is a testament that in all times and all places God will seek to reveal Himself to those who seek Him.

 In his closing remarks, left to the faceless children of his enemy, the Lamanites, the people who had murdered all of his friends and family and destroyed his civilization, Moroni taught eloquently about the power of prayer and the Holy Ghost. He promised those who pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true that God “will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:4-5). Many people would not accept the feelings of the Holy Ghost as legitimate evidence because it cannot be verified externally, but it is the most compelling verification I have that the Book of Mormon is true, that God lives, and that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know through thoughts and feelings that come from God that I am His child, and that He hears and answers my prayers. I have the change I see in myself, wrought over the course of years by the power of God, to make me a little kinder, more humble, more patient, and less selfish.

 Anyone who sincerely embarks on an experiment to feel God in his or her life will find Him. My litmus test for truth is whether or not it encourages me to do better and love deeper. As Moroni taught, “nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is“ (Moroni 10:6). He went on to promise that “God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true” (Moroni 10:29). I know the Book of Mormon contains the word of God because it has made me better. In quiet moments too numerous to count or recount here I have felt bursts of clarity, received new insights, found counsel specific to me and my circumstances, and gained new understanding of my purpose on earth and my relationship with God. These private, transcendent experiences with the Spirit conveyed through my thoughts and emotions are the foundation of my belief system, and the anchor of my life. These thoughts and emotions about God and His work constitute the thing I am most sure of. There are dozens of ancillary doctrines and historical complexities that I will grapple with for the rest of my life, but what I know for sure is that God loves His children, that He speaks to them, and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is where I am meant to be.

 Moroni listed a number of Spiritual gifts to include faith, the ability to heal and prophesy, and the ability to speak foreign languages, and concludes that “all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will” (Moroni 10:17). I love the ambiguity in this verse; who’s “will” are we taking about? This verse could mean that Spiritual gifts are doled out according to God’s will, but also that every person has access to these gifts by the Spirit if he or she will receive them. If we seek to know or be anything, we will find and become it. God is unchanging and seeks to bless all His children across time and space. Moroni invited us to seek a relationship with Him and enjoy His gifts: “deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever” (Moroni 10:7). He also instructed us to “remember that every good gift cometh of Christ” (Moroni 10:18) and said, “I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift” (Moroni 10:31).
I just finished the Book of Mormon, and 245 blog posts recording my thoughts and feelings about each chapter.

As I read the last words of the last verse of the last chapter, sitting in a dark room on a Wednesday morning while everyone else was asleep, I expected this moment to pass quietly. unnoticed. Just me and my thoughts and a glowing screen. I was fully unprepared for the magnitude of the emotion I felt as I received a spiritual witness, again, that this book is true. 

Please read it. Please be curious about God and want He wants for you. Please ask him and listen for what He tells you. That is how I have found everything I most treasure in life, and I am so grateful for the chance I have to share a small piece of it with you.



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